1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle wheel with an additional flywheel and associated structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Flywheels have been known per se in various uses with vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 1,599,117 (Conlon) relates to a bicycle having a flywheel secured non-releasably around the hub. In this case disadvantages arise since one must always bear the burden of the increased weight and mass which is secured to the hub, demanding additional energy during starting and during stopping.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,580,944 (Nemeth) deals with a bicycle with a plurality of weights symmetrically disposed about and supported by the hub of the bicycle wheel, which weights are fixed to the hub yet move radially under centrifugal force while revolving in an orbit about the rotational axis of the wheel. The weights are spring-retracted toward the axis and require lever means as well as a mechanism for moving the relatively heavy weights. This device provides disadvantages as a result of the fixed discrete separate weights and their associated moving mechanisms. Additionally the same basic disadvantage occurs as with the previously mentioned known device requiring extra energy at all times, even though the extra energy requirement may be reduced at particular times by radially moving the weights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,088 (Giovachini) discloses a composite wheel structure having a flywheel mass non-releasably connected to the wheel and provided with a mechanism to vary the distance of the mass as the rotational speed of the wheel increases, the wheel comprising at least two elements made of materials having different yield strengths, one being peripheral and the other connecting the peripheral element to the wheel hub, the latter including two conical flanges having concave sides thereof facing each other. A mechanism varies the angle formed between the flanges in order to provide either a limitation of the stresses exerted on the material forming the flanges or an accompanying of the expansion of the peripheral material by the flanges, increasing or decreasing the wheel diameter. This device also has the disadvantages mentioned above and is not suitable for the purposes of the present invention.
Also prior art shows the application of flywheels outside of the immediate confines of the wheel structure operating through chains or other connecting links, which with respect to the present invention are deemed irrelevant.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheel having a flywheel which is radially immovable providing operating and installation advantages and not having the disadvantages of the prior devices.